New Delhi: The hospital bed-population ratio in Delhi during 2014 was almost half the prescribed level, reveals the Economic Survey of Delhi 2014-15 released on Wednesday.
The World Health Organization recommends five hospital beds per thousand of population.
But in the national capital, the ratio is 2.71 per thousand in 2014 -- up from 2.25 in 2004. In 2014, Delhi had 48,096 hospital beds for its 1,77,37,344 people.
The per capita expenditure on health in Delhi has gone up from Rs.1,696 in 2013-14 to Rs.1,936 in 2014-15.
According to the survey, Delhi has 95 hospitals, 1,389 dispensaries, 267 maternity homes, 937 polyclinics and 16 medical colleges.
About 82 per cent of the total births were institutional in 2013, while Delhi also enjoys a high life expectancy of 72 years, as compared to the national average of 68.
Based on findings of 68th Round of National Sample Survey (July 2011 and June 2012) in Delhi, the average monthly consumption expenditure of a household was estimated to the tune of Rs 15,122.
Out of this, Rs 462.84 was spent on medical facilities (institutional and non institutional) which constitute nearly 3.06 per cent. Thus the annual consumption expenditure of a household towards medical facilities was around Rs 5,554 for the year 2011-12.
The infant mortality rate in 2013 was recorded at 22, an improvement from 24 in 2001.
The survey claimed that Delhi is on the track to achieve the target of reducing the under-five mortality rate by two third by 2015. The reduction in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) also appears to be on track and the target is likely to be achieved by 2015.
As per MDG Delhi 2014 report, the other goal regarding universal institutional delivery is also on the track and the target is achievable by 2015.
In Delhi, there has been a reduction in underweight children. As per the NFHS report-3, 34.7 per cent children were underweight in the year 1998?99 but have decreased to 33.1 in the year 2005?06 owing to Nutrition and Health Education programme and immunisation through Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) network.
For reduction in child malnutrition and control of anaemia, the government is seeking convergence with various programmes, for example, National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) etc.
